On Sunday evening, Nick Kyrgios won the latest installment of the ‘Battle of the Sexes,’ defeating Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai.
The Australian, ranked 671 on the ATP Tour, defeated the world’s best female tennis player 6-3, 6-3 in what was an underwhelming event in the Middle East.
Whether the occasion will be repeated in the future remains to be seen. However, few would disagree that the event failed to live up to the hype built by Kyrgios and Sabalenka in the months prior.
What was your opinion on the Battle of the Sexes match?
After the contest, Sabalenka revealed that she would like to have a rematch against her Australian counterpart.
Kyrgios weighed in on this possibility during his post-match press conference.
Nick Kyrgios says he would ‘happily’ do another Battle of the Sexes match
Kyrgios, who fired back at some comments made by Alexander Bublik, claimed the Battle of the Sexes match was the most talked about sporting event in the past six months.
“The thing is, everyone that was negative watched it. That is the funny thing about it as well,” Kyrgios began.
“This has been the most talked event probably in sport in the last six months. If we looked about how many interactions we had on social media and the news.
“So anyone that was negative and watched, they just love it. They just don’t want to love it. They do love it.
“I am sure the next time that we do it, if I am a part of it and she is a part of it, I am sure that it will now be a cultural movement that will happen more often and I think it’s a step in the right direction.
A journalist then noted Sabalenka’s interest in playing another match against the Australian.
Of course she does. She hated my guts after the match,” Kyrgios said.
“She’s a competitor. I understand that too. I would happily do it again but it’s not easy.
“I know that there would be males in the top 100 that would not put their hands up and put themselves out here in that pressure cooker.
Which two players in tennis history would you like to see in a Battle of the Sexes match?
“That is not easy. The build-up, the days. I did not have the best sleep last night, because I know that whatever role I played in this was not easy mentally to overcome and go out there and perform in a classy manner as well.”
Kyrgios’ will not have to travel far for his first event of 2026. The Australian is set to compete on the ATP Tour for the first time in a year when he competes at the Brisbane International ATP 500 event.
Kyrgios, who received a wildcard for the singles competition, will also partner compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis in the doubles.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis famously won the 2022 Australian Open Men’s Doubles title.
Would you watch another match between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka?
Sunday’s showpiece event really was a tough watch.
From the awkward court size to the lacklustre play, it was not the spectacle many had envisioned.
If another event were to take place, there would need to be a greater intensity to the contest; the event felt hollow compared to previous Battle of the Sexes matches.
The first Battle of the Sexes match took place in 1973 between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. It was a match that boosted women’s sports and inspired future generations, while also challenging widespread sexism.
The 2025 Battle of the Sexes contest failed to emulate its predecessor.
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